Friction clutch



'may 6 1924. 1,493,66

G. J. SCOFIELD FRICTION CLUTCH Filed iMarch 16. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 6 1924.

G. J. scoFlELn FRICTION CLUTCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March- 16, 192C 3 wue Moz GILBERT J'. SCOFIELD, 0F TROY, NEW YOR, ASSGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EALST f COUNCILMAN, 0F WATERVLIET, NEW Y0.

FRCTEON CLUTCH.

Application ied March 16, 1920. Serial No. 366,292.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT J. ScorinLn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Friction Clutches, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to clutch construction. One of the objects thereof is to provide a simple construction of the above character well adapted to meet the conditions of use. Another object is to provide a practical and efficient friction clutch in which the effect of wear is automatically compensated for. Another object is to provide reliable and effective means. for putting the clutch into and out of action. Another object is to provide clutch construction in which slippage is reduced to a minimum consistent with eiiicient and dependable ac tion. Other objects will be inl part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the structure hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims..

in the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the saine partially in section;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts released;

Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation, certain parts being removed in order to Vshow the construction more clearly, and the se ction being taken substantially on the line 343 of Figure 1; and

Figure i is a detail end view-of a portion of a positive clutch member.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of l the drawings.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown at 1 a drivin which may be the crank shaft/of an internal ycombustion engine upon a motor vehicle. Connected with this shaft as Iby means of the bolts 2 is a housing 3 which may be so formed and proportioned as to act as the flywheel of the engine. This housing is shaft vat by the 'i site significance. It is also to be noted that the terms driven and driving are used merely in a relative sense to aid inexplaining this embodiment of the invention, and that the direction ofl drive may be reversed without departing from many of the features of this invention.

At 6 is shown a driven shaft which may be vthe propeller shaft of a motor vehicle, and this shaft is keyed as at 7 to the inner clutch plate or disk 8, the connection being such that the disk may slide longitudinally of'the shaft 7 but is held against turning with respect thereto. The remaining clutch member or gripping plate 9 is of a Ygeneral annular form and is adapted to be forced toward and away from the web of the housing 3 to grip therebetween the plate'S, suitable fric-tion material being interposed between these parts as at l0-and 11.

Considering now the actuating means for this clutch, there is provided a sleeve 12 which rotates with the housing 3, a splined connection being provided at 13 which however permits a sliding movement of the sleeve with respect to the housing plate 5. At the Vforward end portion of the sleeve 12 there, are provided three or more outvwardly extending toggle arms 14 each jointed thereto as shown at 15 in Figure 3 of the drawings. These toggle arms with the clutch in active or power-transmitting position, are considerably inclined with respect to a lane transverse to the shaft 1 as shown in igure 1 of the drawings. The outer ends of the arms 14 are bifurcated as at 16 and provided with cross pins 17,. it being understood that 'the generali vconstruction and connection of each of these arms is identical. The pin 17 at its outer end rests within inwardly directed slots 18 in pairs of ears or lugs 1,9 formed integral with the movable clutch plate 9. Thus as these pins move forwardly or rearwardly, the plate 9 is forced into gripping position or positively drawn out of such position.

The plate 9 rotates with the driving Shaft' in detail.

interposed between the ,forward end of ythe sleeve 12 and the rear surface of the clutch plate 9 is a spring 23 here shown as of a general conical form. This spring seats at Iits rear end within an annular recess 24 at the forward end of the sleeve and eX- erts a continuous pressure, tending to force the sleeve rearwardly and the plate 9 in a forward or gripping direction.

The sleeve is moved along the driven shaft 6 by any suitable means. lin the present 'instance there is provided a stationary collar 25 which is mounted on the sleeve as by means of the ball bearing 26. rlhis collar is provided with trunnions 27 about which are forked the short levers 28 on the rock shaft 29. The latter shaft is rocked or oscillated as by means of the foot pedal 30. Thus as the pedal 30 is depressed, the sleeve is forced in a forward direction, whereas upon the pedal being released, the spring 23 urges it toits rearmost position.

The rearward motionof sleeve 12 preferably brings into action at its termination a rigid or jaw clutch on the shaft 6. The sleeve 12 has secured thereto at its rear end a positive clutch member 31 adapted to co- `act with a mating clutch member 32 formed on the collar 33 which is secured to the shaft 6. These clutch members may be of any desired specific construction such as that diagrammaticallyillustrated in Figure 1 of v the drawings, the projecting portions on one member intermeshing with corresponding recesses upon the other. Although this latter clutch is preferably of the positive interlocking type, nevertheless a friction clutch element at this point may be substituted 'and still achieve certain of the advantages of this feature of my invention.

Considering now the action of the parts whereby the main clutch is operated, it is to he understood that in Figure 1 of the drawings they are shown in active orfpowertransmitting position. ln this position the spring 23 is forcing the' sleeve rearwardly to bring into action the positive clutch, and at its opposite end is forcing the clutch member 9 forwardly to tightly grip the driven' grip the driven plate 8. 'With the parts so disposed, the rollers 20 are preferably just out of Contact with the opposing cam surfaces 21. From this it will ne seen masones that any wear of the parts, such as that of the lining material at 10 or 11, will result merely in the plate 9 being forced forward to compensate for such wear. l/Vhatever degree this wear may have reached, nevertheless the plate 8 will be "gripped with undiminished force due to the fact that it has the full pressure of the spring 23 acting up-i on the plate 9. All of this furthermore is without adjustment of the parts and entirely automatic.

lf now itvbe desired to release the clutch, the pedal 30 is depressed or thrown in a forward direction. This moves the sleeve 12 yforwardly and correspondingly advances the inner pivotal connections of all of the arms 14, it being understood that the term inner is used with respect to the axis of the shafts. rlhis forward movement, as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, tends to thrust outwardly by a toggle action of all of the arms 14, the outer ends of the arms and brings the rollers 20 first into Contact with the camsurfaces 21 and thereupon as their outward movement continues, drives them along these cam surfaces and swings them rearwardly. IThis rearward motion is positive for it \is only by such motion that the outward movement of the rollers can be accommodated. rihe rearward movement of rollers 20 acting through the pinsv17, positively draws the lugs 19 with the plate 9 in a rearward direction..

This is continued to any desired extent to fully release the plate 8. lt is to be noted that this release is positive and that it requiressmall effort due to the toggle action of the radial links. When ity-is desired to again complete power-transmitting connection, the pedal 30 is released whereupon the spring 23 urges apart the sleeve 12 and plate 9, returning the parts to the positions'shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

As the clutch pedal 30 is released,the frictional connection is first made, but just prior to reaching its fully retracted position, the positive connection is made through the jaw clutch. Thus there is achieved a rigid 'or positive connection which obviates any possibility -of the parts slipping and lyet the i frictional connection is such that the load is partially taken up before the jaws are intermeshed. This of course conduces not only to the life of the jaw clutch but to reducing shock as it is thrown into action.

lt will. also be seen that. if it is desired tol slip the friction clutch, the pedal 3() is merely depressed to 'the desired extent, its first movement releasing the jaw clutch and its continued movement pulling back upon the plate lit will thus be seen that there is provided apparatus in which the several objects of this invention are achieved... The parts are few in numioer and of rugged construction,

and also the rotated parts are symmetrically disposed about their axis to rotate. Furthermore, the strain incident to the action of releasing the clutch, such as theA radial thrust upon the links,l is substantially balanced and neutralized. One spring only Ais necessary for performing various funcings is to-beinterpreted as illustrative andnot in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In clutch construction, in combination, a drivingl Shaft, a I clutch member driven thereby, a'movab'le pressure member mounted to turn with said first member, a driven shaft, a plate secured to said driven shaft and adapted to be embraced between said` clutch member and said pressure member, a sleeve mounted on said driven shaft, a compressionssfpring interposed between said sleeve andsaid pressure member and tending to urge said pressure member into gripping position, and means controlled from said sleeve adapted upon movement of said sleeve in one direction to move said pressure member in the opposite' direction and away from its gripping position.

2. In clutch construction, in combination, a driving shaft, a 'clutch member driven thereby, a movable ressure member mounted to turn with sai r'st member, a driven shaft, aplate secured to said driven shaftand adapted to be embraced between said clutch member and its pressure lmember, a

sleeve mounted on said driven shaft, a compression spring interposed between said sleeve and said pressure member and tending to urge 4said pressure member into gripping position, and means controlled from said sleeve adapted to move said pressure member away from its said last means being ada spring automatically to orcegsaid pressure member to compensate for wear of frictional parts by added travel in its gripping direction.

3. In clutch construction, in combination, a driving clutch member, a movable presgriiping position,

sure plate connected to turn therewith, a

driven shaft, a rotary member secured to. said shaft Vand interposed between saidclutch member and said pressure late, means providing a cam surface adjacent said pressure plate and connected with said clutch member, and means positively connected with said pressureoplate adapted to move along said cam surface in a direction l to permit said adapted to draw said pressure plate away a driving clutch member, a movable pressure plate connected to turn therewith, a driven shaft, a rotary member 'secured tosaid shaft and interposed between said clutch member and said pressure plate, means forming a pluralityv of` cams spaced about the Vo uter portion of said clutch member, a plurality of outwardly directed arms respectively coacting with said cam surfaces and res ectively connectedwith said pressure 'p whereby upon said arms being thrown toward a single plane their outer ends` are guided outwardly by said cams and tend to positively move said pressure plate' away from said clutch member, and a spring fore ing said pressure plate in the opposite direction.

5. In clutch construction, in combination, a driving clutch member, a movable pressure plate connected to turn therewith, a driven shaft, a rotary member secured to said shaft and interposed between said` clutch member and said pressure plate, means forming a plurality of cams spaced about the outer portion of saidclutch member a plurality of outwardly directed arms respectively co-acting with 4said cam surfaces and respectively connected with said pressure platewhereby-upon said arms being thrown toward af singlel plane their ,outer ends are forced outwardly and tend. to` positively move said pressure plate away rom said clutch member, a spring forcing said pressure plate in the opposite direction, and a movable sleeve on said drivenl shaft to which the inner ends of said arms are-jointed and between which and said pressure plate said spring is compressed.

6. In clutch construction, in combination,

a movableclutch member, a clutch member toward 'which it is movable into power'- transmitting relation, a driven shaft to soI ate

whichsaid second clutch member is con-l nected, a sleeve upon said-shaft, a compression spring interposed between the end of said sleeve` and said movable' clutch member and tending to force 'the latter into lpower-transmitting osition,'an outwardly extendingnormally lnclined link jointed to said sleeve and having its outer end foiming a slotted` connection with said movable clutch member, and means forming a cam surface to which the outer end of said link is operatively connected and `shaped .to throw said first clutch member awa from said second clutch member'as said s eeve is moved along said shaft. v

7. In clutch construction, in combination, a driven shaft, a clutch member xed to turn therewith,` a driving clutch member provided with relatively movable parts between Which said' first clutch member is adapted to be gripped, spring actuated means adapted to' actuate the parts ot said second clutch member to move them into gripping position, positively o p e r a t e d means adapted to :torce the parts out of gripping position and means adapted'at the lastl stage of said gripping movement to form an independent positive `power-transmitting connection between said second clutch member and Said driven shaft.

8. In clutch construction, in combination, a driving member, a driven member, a pair of members adapted to make trictional engagement one with another and respectively connected to said driving member and said driven member, a spring mounted 'to urge the members oit said pair into engagement one with another irrespective of the degree of wear of their frictional surfaces, a positive clutch adapted to make power-transmitting' connection between said driving mem-v ber and said driven member, and a plurality of members mounted on a sleeve forming q a toggle mechanism adapted progressively to permit said .spring to urge the members of said pair into 'trictional engagement and then to render operative said positive clutch.

9. ln clutch construction, in combination, a driving member, a driven member, a pair of clutch members adapted to makeirictional engagement one with another to connect said driving member and said driven member, a pair of clutch members adapted to make positive engagement one with another to connect said driving member and said driven member, a: spring interposed betweenv said two pairs of clutch members adapted to urge both of said pairs into enagement, and a movable sleeveon said riven member connected to said spring and adapted by continuous movementJ in one direction to render inoperative said positive i clutch and thereupon positively pull Said first clutch members apart in opposition to said spring. V l

10. ln clutch construction, in combination, a pair of members adapted tomake frictional engagement one with another, means adapted to drive one of said .members, means driven from the other of said members, a positive clutch adapted to make independent connection between said driving and said driven means, a sleeve on said 4driven means connected to one of said `trict'ion members. and to said positive Ivclutch adapted by a continuous movement in onedirection to render inoperative said positive clutch and to positively move said pair of frictional members apart, means adapted to move said sleeve, and asingle compression spring acting independently of saicblast means to press one yof said trictional members into 4rictional engagement with the other, and to urge said positive clutchtoward operative position.

inname il. ln clutch constructien, in combination, a driven member, a friction clutch member thereon, a driving member, a sleeve movable along said driven member connected to rotate with said driving member,-

member thereon, a driving member, a sleeve movable along said driven member connected to rotate with said driving member, asecond 'friction clutch member adapted to make frictional engagement with said first clutch member, a spring urging said two friction members together, and toggle arms connecting said sleeve and said second friction clutch member and adapted n on moveu ment of said sleeve member a ong said driven member to draw said clutch members apart against the action of said spring.

13. In clutch construction, in combina tion, a driving clutch member, a movable pressure plate vconnected to turn therewith, a driven shaft, a plate membersecured to said driven shaft and interposed between said clutch member and said pressure member,'means forming a plurality of cams spaced about the outer portion of said clutch member, a plurality of outwardly directed arms respectively coacting with said cam surfaces and respectively connected with said pressure plate adapted upon being' thrown toward a single plane to bear outwardly against said cams and be guided thereby in a direction to draw said pressure plate away from said clutch member, resilient means urging said pressure plate in the opposite direction, and a movable sleeve on said driven shaft to which the inner ends of said arms are jointed and by means of which they are thrown toward a single plane.

la. ln clutch construction, in combination, a movable clutch member, a clutch member toward which it is movable into power-transmitting relation, a driven shaft to which said second clutch member is connected, a sleeve upon said shaft` compression means urging said movable clutch member toward power-transmitting position, an outwardly extending normally inclined link jointed to vsaid sleeve and having its outer end forming a slotted connection with said movable clutch member, and means 'forming a cam surface to which the outer endet said link is operatively connected and Sti lll)

essere@ shaped to throw said first clutch member away from said second clutch member as said sleeve is moved along said shaft.

A15..In clutch construction, in combination, 'a friction clutch member, a second friction clutchv member adapted to make engagement with said rst friction clutch member and mounted for movement toward and away from the same, a member movable toward said second clutch member in the direction of the movement of the latter toward position of engagement, a plurality of arms positively connected at one end with said member and having slotted connections With said second clutch member at their other ends, and means coacting with the ends of said armsadj acent said second clutch member adapted upon movement of said member toward said second clutch member to move said arms in a direction to draw said second clutch member away Jfrom engagement with said irst clutch member.

iion clutch member mounted forv movement into and out of. engagement With said first friction clutch member, a member movable iowa-rd said second clutch member in the direction of its movement toward position of engagement, a plurality of toggle arms positively connected at one end with said last member and forming` aconnection between the' same and said second clutch member and'means adapted upon movement of said member` toward said second clutch member to utilizel the longitudinal thrust in said toggle arms occasioned by said movement to move said second clutch member in a direction away from engagement With said lirst clutch member.

' In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 12th day 0f March 1920.

. GILBERT J. SCOFIELD. 

